Security Advisories and Notifications

Minor Subject: Upgrade to prevent inadvertent removal of security from Servlets or EJBs

Product(s) Affected: BEA WebLogic Server and Express

Threat Level: Low

Severity: High

Recently a defect was identified that could potentially cause a security vulnerability in certain versions of BEA WebLogic Server and Express. This problem has been corrected in the latest Service Pack. BEA treats such possibilities with the highest degree of urgency and does everything possible to ensure the security of all customer assets. As a result, we strongly suggest the following action:

I. Read the following advisory.

II. Apply the suggested action.

III. If you know of any additional users interested in future security advisories, please forward them the registration instructions below.

I. ADVISORY

A potential security vulnerability was discovered that could result in the unintended removal of security from Servlets or EJBs.

The following BEA WebLogic Server and Express releases are affected by this vulnerability

Version: BEA WebLogic Server and Express 7.0 and 7.0.0.1.

CAUSE

There is a defect that occurs when an application containing Servlets or EJBs is deployed on more than one server. Should the application be undeployed from one of the servers (either due to the server being shut down or the untargeting of the application from the server) all deployment descriptor specified security constraints and role mappings for the Servlets and EJBs will be removed from all servers. This will result in leaving all Servlets and EJBs in that application unprotected. The deployment descriptor-specified security constraints and role mappings will be restored for the Servlets and EJBs in that application as soon as the application is deployed on another server (either due to a server being restarted or the application being targeted on another server).

The vulnerability exists for both clustered and unclustered servers.

II. SUGGESTED ACTION

Oracle strongly recommends the following course of actions:

Upgrade to the appropriate Service Pack:

Version: BEA WebLogic Server and Express 7.0, released or 7.0.0.1.

Upgrade to Service Pack 1.

SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS

Oracle strongly suggests that customers apply the remedies recommended in all our security advisories. Oracle also urges customers to apply every Service/Maintenance Pack as they are released. Service/Maintenance Packs include a roll-up of all bug fixes for each version of the product, as well as each of the prior Service/Maintenance Packs. Service/Maintenance Packs and information about them can be found at:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/bea_main.html

As a policy, if there are any security-related issues with any Oracle product, Oracle will distribute an advisory and instructions with the appropriate course of action. Because the security of your site, data, and code is our highest priority, we are committed to communicating all security-related issues clearly and openly.